Beautiful Silence
by Biocore
Summary: A prompt for RWBY relationship week, where a random generator gives you two characters. Normally I would draw a picture but these two felt they needed a story. I apologize if it's very bad or unsatisfying, I have not written anything in years.


Beautiful Silence

Every person will always have a place or a state of being that feels natural to them. For some, their family or friends, for others a specific spot or time of day. Even something as simple as going to the library every day could be fulfilling.

For Ren, it was silence. True silence. A total absence of sensory input, save for his quiet breathing and steady pulse. Early on in his younger days he had honed a talent for removing himself from his surroundings. As a child, it had helped him relax; and to a lesser extent, put up with Nora. Not that he hated her, far from it, but their first few years together had taken some... adjustment. Naturally he became used to her bubbly nature, and (he begrudgingly admitted) her cheerful way of life had helped him be a little more accepting of the world around him. She had even gotten a few rare smiles out of the calm child.

As a hunter, this ability was his trump card. He could not be intimidated or surprised, the power of silence made him able to focus like a laser in most any situation. Terrifying screams fell on deaf ears, illusions and scare tactics fell on unseeing eyes, and lies fell on a sharp, logical mind. He was a force to be reckoned with and as valuable a member of team JNPR as any of the other three individuals that joined him on their missions.

Alas, having said team made it difficult to have a relaxing silence to himself. But today he was fortunate. Nora had been invited to hang out with Ruby, likely for something catastrophically exciting, and Jaune and Phyrra had gone off to train in the forest. Hopefully Jaune didn't wind up hurting himself. This left Ren to recline on his bed and stare at the ceiling, letting the silence embrace him. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly while he closed his eyes. All he could hear was the ticking of the wall clock that Phyrra had put up when they first got the room. She was a very punctual person. The ticking was beginning to become background noise when a few firm knocks on the door got his attention.

"Come in." The relaxed student said quietly. When the door opened, he was surprised to see that it was Yatsuhashi of team CFVY. The tan-skinned strongman was wearing casual clothes, suggesting it may have been a day off for him as well.

"Ah... sorry to bother you." Yatsuhashi said, a slight tone of embarrassment in his voice. Next to Ren, he was one of the quietest hunters currently attending Beacon. He was also one of the tallest students, and quite strong. To outsiders he probably seemed intimidating, but he was quite kind-hearted. Ren knew this, as it was not the first time the two had met. Like Ren, Yatsuhashi was a fan of quiet places, and like Ren he had some very eccentric teammates. So every once in a while the silent warrior would sneak away to have a moment to himself. At first it had been in various locations through the academy, as it was so large and accommodating, but something had eventually drawn him to Ren.

Logically, it was their shared enjoyment of silence. Team JNPR's room became a small haven for a limited time as the two young men sat on Ren's bed and soaked in the quiet. Very few words were said between the two, and even then they were short and to the point. At first, they shared casual greetings and occasionally discussed important trends like the increase in robotic guards and the continued thefts in the outskirts.

But lately, their conversations had become more... personal. Troubles with schoolwork, joking about goofy things their teammates did, near-death experiences, and love. The Beacon Ball seemed like a faint memory after the increasingly dire circumstances they had been placed in recently, especially after the recent train crash that was _still_ causing the city to be in an alert state weeks later. But the dance had really pulled out everyone's colours that night, and now most every team was dealing with the aftermath of teenagers dealing with their newly realized crushes on each other. And this rampant love mess is what the two silent students had on their mind today.

"How.. is Nora?" Yatsuhashi asked slowly. While he was mostly fluent, the speech of Vale was not his mother tongue, and some phrases would always not sound right coming out of him. He was not ashamed of this, and the people that teased him about it had either grown out of it or moved on.

"Full of sugar and rainbows, as usual". Ren replied, somewhat amused. He had learned Yatsuhashi's language shortly after their meetings became more frequent, and he knew his friend was much more comfortable using it. It somehow added a feeling of privacy to their already closed off meetings.

"Hah. Keeping you on your toes?" Ren nodded, smiling. "And Phyrra and Jaune. Have they worked out their romance issues?" This was a harder question for the green-clothed youth, as his quiet nature meant he was not one to pry into personal matters. Add to that Jaune's shyness and Nora's "girls only" policy when either her or Phyrra was in the mood to open up, and he really hadn't heard much since the time Jaune had gone Weiss-crazy. Fortunately, that passed quickly. But again, silence had aided Ren in perceiving the emotions of his team. He could catch every subtle expression, every little weight shift and quick glance. It was always more telling to him than a conversation ever was. And these days, it was telling him a lot.

"I have a feeling something has happened. They are still as awkward as ever, but their teamwork has improved and they seem less... apart from each other. The tension of the dance has gone. I suspect these frequent sparring sessions don't always result in combat." Yatsuhashi let out a small chuckle. Ren had said such a thing in his usual monotone voice, and that had made the joke funnier. "I am having trouble with Nora though..."

"Oh?" The tan-skinned student tilted his head quizzically.

"Yes. I feel like..." Ren paused, sighing. It was unlike him to be so bothered. "I believe she has fallen for me."

"Oh. She seems like a great partner, is this so unfortunate?"

"While we have been friends for years now, and she is a great help in both combat and daily life, I... cannot feel the same for her." A very subtle shift to one side indicated to Yatsuhashi that his friend was uncomfortable. He didn't want to pry, but he hated to see his unhappiness in those magenta eyes.

"You don't like her romantically? Or... does your heart belong to someone else?" A flick of the eyes was all he needed to see that his comment had hit home. "I'm sorry, it is not my place to ask about such things."

There were a few minutes of silence and shifting around before Ren spoke up again.

"No. I should speak about this. You are my friend and you want to help me." He sighed again, shoulder slumping. "You are right. Despite all my feelings on the subject of relationships between teammates, I cannot stop myself from feeling... drawn... to someone. It is perplexing. Moreso because this person is on another team. It is difficult to see them often, so it would be illogical to try and start something with him." Yatsuhashi's heart jumped a little at the last part. He did not expect Ren to fall for another male student, he seemed like the type that would have eventually wed a woman and had a child. And more than that, there was a feeling deep in his chest. A hope of sorts, that the person in question could perhaps be himself. He did not know what stirred this feeling. Could it have been growing all along and he passed it off as friendship? Could it be recent? And... was it even worth trying for? Ren must have noticed his friend's mental distress at the news. He instinctively placed a hand on Yatsuhashi's arm.

They looked at each other, and away, and back again. The contact had been more than physical. Feelings were shared and understood. Uncertainty. Embarrassment. Longing. Trust. This would not be an easy burden, regardless of how it turned out. Ren could not bear to break Nora's heart, but he could not see himself with her. He could not stop himself from feeling for Yatsuhashi, even if was not a wise thing. Yatsuhashi had never been in love before, had not even considered his sexuality, but that simple comforting motion sparked something in him; as if all of their meetings in the past, all the bonding, had been suggesting this outcome. He could not control the fluttering in his chest as Ren looked at him with those vibrant magenta eyes. They were always so lucid, so knowledgeable.

No words were needed. Yatsuhashi gently placed his right hand over Ren's and squeezed gently. A faint smile came across Ren's face and he spotted a blush through the tan skin of his friend. No, not anymore. His boyfriend. It was a new word to him, one that he welcomed. He touched Yatsuhashi's cheek with his left hand, hearing a faint breath suck into the young man's nostrils. A beat passed, one last chance to pull back.

Ren leaned in and kissed him, tenderly and silently. Yatshuhashi gasped slightly, but pulled Ren in closer with his arms, softly grasping his shoulders. They held each other closer than either had been held before, more passionately than they had experienced in their lives. Their kisses and whispers of love were heard by none. None but the beautiful silence.


End file.
